It’s been eight long years since Andrei Campana, a freelance photographer from northern Utah, vanished while hiking near Woods Cross — and his family is still waiting for answers.
The day he disappeared
On November 12, 2017, Campana left his home around 1 p.m. to hike Mueller Park, a popular trail nestled in the foothills between Woods Cross and Bountiful, about 10 miles north of Salt Lake City.
When he didn’t return home, family members grew concerned. His car was found parked near the trailhead at around 3 p.m., according to reports from the Utah Department of Public Safety and the Charley Project, a national missing-persons database. Despite extensive searches by police, volunteers, and K9 units, no trace of Campana has ever been found.
A devoted photographer and outdoorsman
At the time of his disappearance, Campana was an experienced hiker and well-known in his community for his landscape photography. Friends described him as creative, thoughtful, and deeply connected to Utah’s outdoors — which makes his disappearance all the more baffling.
Campana, who weighed around 170 pounds with dark hair and eyes, was last seen wearing a black North Face jacket, a blue shirt, light-colored pants, and hiking boots. He would be 50 years old today.
Eight years, no closure
For the Campana family, the silence has been unbearable. “It’s like time stopped that day,” a family friend said. “We just need to know what happened.”
Authorities have kept the case open. Sergeant Chris Hoffman of the Woods Cross Police Department continues to encourage the public to come forward with any leads or memories from that weekend in 2017.
“If anyone remembers seeing something unusual in Mueller Park that day — anything at all — please reach out,” Hoffman said.
A community that hasn’t forgotten
Over the years, local residents and online hiking groups have continued to share posts about Campana, hoping renewed attention might finally lead to new information. His disappearance remains one of northern Utah’s most enduring mysteries.
Anyone with information about Andrei Campana’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Woods Cross Police Department at 801-292-4422.
